Mizzou Tennis Closes Regular Season with Loss to Mississippi State

STARKVILLE, MS - The No. 51 Mizzou tennis team closed out the regular season with a 4-2 loss to the Mississippi State Bulldogs Sunday afternoon at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre in Starkville, Miss. The loss dropped the Tigers' record to 9-12 overall and 2-11 in Southeastern Conference play, while the Bulldogs improved to 8-13 and 2-12.

The two teams will meet again in the first round of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday, April 17 at 10 a.m. at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre in Starkville, Miss. Both squads finished 2-12 in SEC play but Mississippi State earned the 12-seed as the head-to-head winner. Mizzou enters the Tournament as the 13-seed. The winner of the match will face five-seed Tennessee on Thursday, April 18 at 11 a.m.

Missouri and Mississippi State opened the match with singles action. The Tigers took an early 1-0 advantage as sophomore Elisha Gabb posted a 6-2, 6-2 win over Petra Ferancova at No. 4 play. The Bulldogs knotted the score at 1-1 when Alexandra Perper earned a 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 victory over junior Rachel Stuhlmann at No. 2 singles.

The home squad went up 2-1 when Sarai Flores defeated freshman Madison Rhyner, 7-5, 7-5, at No. 6. However, the Tigers responded with a win at No. 3 to even the match at 2-2 when senior Maria Christensen ousted Naomi Tran, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

Mississippi State claimed the final two singles matches of the afternoon to clinch the victory. At No. 1 action, Georgiana Patrasc posted a 7-5, 7-5 over junior Cierra Gaytan-Leach, while Roseline Dion defeated Alex Clark, 6-2, 7-6 (6) at No. 5.